1. The Best Apps to Book Your Business Trip

When you’re booking your travel, it’s always better to fly early or late, as there are fewer delays and these flights are noted as having an overall improved time performance.

If you’re looking to save a few pennies, Tuesdays are the best day to book a flight, anywhere from 50-100 days before travel. Booking directly via the airline can result in a better chance of upgrades but sometimes are unwieldy and not inclined towards discounts.

Discovering the best buys is simpler with aggregators to do all the digging for you. Here are two we love:

Hipmunk

While there are plenty of travel sites out there, Hipmunk is easily one of the best for booking both hotels and airports, which is especially convenient, as is its handy ability to sync with your calendar.

You can search by typical features like price, layovers, even distance from hotel to airport, as well as an aptly named ‘agony’ tab that figures out the amount of stop over’s and length of flight.

Plus it includes atypical accommodation options such as home-stays and airbnb for the more flexible or open-minded traveler.

Link: hipmunk.com

RouteHappy

If you have any say as to which airline you fly, then head over to Routehappy to discover which plane is the newest, has the best in-flight entertainment, wifi and food options, as well as travel time and seating.

Best of all, it includes fellow travelers’ ratings, which are far more honest about comfort than an airline ever will be.

So you are not only buying a flight that makes your wallet happy, but also hopefully, you.

Link: routehappy.com

2. Three Stellar Apps to Keep Your Business Trip Organized

Traveling can be overwhelming with all the various details to keep track of, from flight numbers, dates and times to hotel reservations and rooms, not to mention all the items you have to bring with you like your passport, business credit cards, licenses, insurances, and more.

In case of theft, it’s always a good idea to scan such important documents before hand.

Technology comes into its own, in this particular arena, filing, sorting, storing and organizing on your behalf. Here are three different options to keep the chaos in check.

Traxo

If you’re a frequent business traveler who often uses similar brands for points or miles, Traxo is ideal for you. After inputting your airline and hotel membership information, everything is automatically uploaded to your itinerary every time your book a flight, hotel or car. Easy peasy.

Link: traxo.com

TripIt

If traveling makes you feel like you’re drowning in details, simplify your life by letting TripIt take care of all the dirty work. By forwarding all your confirmation emails from any travel related reservation including business meetings, TripIt will aggregate the appropriate information and voila! You have one single itinerary for your phone that’s easy to share.

Link: tripit.com

Sunrise

If it’s not just the traveling that has you feeling swamped but the various appointments, meetings and dates in your calendar, then Sunrise is an app that just might change your life.

A calendar and reminders app, you can view the day or the month, sync with a host of other calendars, is available in multiple languages and pretty much improves that whole static calendar thang.

Link: Sunrise.am

3. Flying Worry Free with Three Great Business Travel Apps

When it comes to business travel, coming and going via airplane tends to be the most common avenue, with its time saving attributes. To further that time saving, invest in a durable carry-on that fits the TSA specs, so you no longer need to check in.

Not only will it save you in fees, you can roll away sans wait at the baggage claim, and as an added bonus you won’t have to lug a giant piece of luggage around.

If your trip was a success and you’re on the homeward journey, feel free to bring a little bottle of our own booze. Turns out, it’s legal to bring liquid, even the inebriating kind, as long as the little cocktail is under the 3.4oz limit.

Here are three apps that each offers a way to improve upon your flying experience.

GateGuru

If you’re got a tight connection in the US and want to ensure you’re there in time, then put GateGuru to use, which gives you the lay of the land for the airport.

But if you really want to put this app to use, it’s great for layovers, indicating where to pick up a book, hit the restroom, find an ATM or grab a drink. With a gate-by-gate list of conveniences, services and restaurants, this app makes passing time a lot more tolerable.

It has a funky feature revealing how much time you’ve spent in airports and airplanes which can be inspiring or depressing, depending on your perspective.

Link: gateguru.com

Mobiata

With gate changes, flight maps and flight statuses, Flight Track Pro is your ticket to knowing what’s going on, as it’s happening. Available at over 4000 airports, this app tracks live flight data, plus can be easily shared, which is crucial for colleagues or family members waiting on your arrival.

Link: mobiata.com

Seatguru

If you’ve ever made the mistake of booking a flight and finding yourself in the one row that doesn’t recline, you’ll fully appreciate Seatguru.

This business travel app helps indicate which seats are the best. For example, if there is rear deplaning, then heading to the back isn’t such a bad option.

While it offers more services, this app is really best for finding the best and worst seats on the plane.

Link: seatguru.com

4. Business Travel Apps to Make Hitting the Road Easy

Once you’re at your location via train or plane and you need to get around via automobile, there are two options. Either take a taxi or rent a car. Each has their plusses and minuses but these apps help you make a better-informed decision.

If you do decide to rent, forgo any GPS with their daily fees and simply put your phone to use, which is just as good.

Taxis

There are now a host of competing options offering similar services, namely, the ability to reserve a taxi in advance.

The price and ease of use is what sets each of these options apart, but decide for yourself, which taxi like service is beset for you. Curb (formally Taximagic) uses only professional taxi drivers while uber and Lyft use regular old people, allowing for rideshares.

Sidecar sells itself as being the least expensive option.

Links: uber.com, sidecar.cr, gocurb.com, lyft.com

Silvercar

If you are going to rent, Silvercar might be the smoothest way to do it as this app reserves you a good looking silver Audi4 for the set price of either $89 (weekends) or $59 (weekdays) and to sweeten the deal, it’s delivered to you at via valet at the airport.

Currently limited to nine major US cities, keep checking in to see if your destination offers this hassle free, classy service.

Link: silvercar.com

Roadninja

Once you’ve hit the highway, Road Ninja will help ensure that any rest stop along the way meets your standards.

This app lists all the amenities available off of each exit of the highway. You can determine in advance where to get off for the vegetarian option or the bathroom offering changing tables and for any long haul adventures, it includes vital info like which gas stations are open all night long.

Link: roadninja.com

5. A Great Night’s Sleep Thanks to These Business Travel Apps

When it comes to laying down your head at night, make sure you score a many perks as possible simply by checking in late. That’s right. You’re more likely to get an upgrade if you show up later, as the hotel will have a better understanding of it’s vacancies.

And before you reserve that room online, try calling the hotel first and talking the price down. Hotel rates can be negotiable up to 20% and there’s no harm in asking.

When you do book the hotel, don’t be bashful about putting all your colleagues rooms on your credit card.Either you can rack up points with your credit car or through a hotel’s frequent traveler program.

As for finding which hotel to go to, these two apps will help you get a good night’s rest.

Hoteltonight

Hoteltonight sell last minute inventory, which results in big savings for travelers wiling to book on the same day of arrival – which happens if you forgot to book in advance, the trip is last minute or your original hotel is overbooked.

From lux to budget, it offers just a handful of options, supposedly the best of each, but it does make the entire process pretty quick.

Link: hoteltonight.com

Stayful

Another option is stayful, which is better if you don’t need to book with a particular brand, as this site only offers independent boutique hotels, ensuring a unique, more customized stay. Fight the man and go local.

Link: stayful.com

6. Getting the Job Done Well When Far From Home with Top Three Business Travel Apps

So it’s not all fun and games on a work trip. Sometimes, most times, you really have to work.

To ensure you can always stay in touch with the home office, consider investing in a portable wifi. Relatively inexpensive, you can work and connect anywhere.

Once connected, these apps make working on the road just as seamless as working at your desk in your office.

Translate

If you’re work takes you out of the office and out of the country, iTranslate is the app to keep the conversation flowing.

This free and impossibly easy app breaks down any language barrier and lets conversations flow from English into Dutch, from Russian into Farsi.

With over 80 languages, this ensures that everyone understands the business at hand.

Link: translate.google.com

Evernote

Once at your worksite and you’re buckling down to business, Evernote will come in handy as a solid note taking app. Stored in the clouds, you can recall your notes later on any device. This workstation is flexible and travels with you, plus it links with our next app.

Link: evernote.com

Refresh

Refresh is like the cliff notes or cheat sheets on everyone in attendance in your meeting. Read the information compiled on each participant, culled from multiple social media sites, as well as your own calendar and contacts.

You can feel fully prepared and know who’s who, before even arriving.

Link: refresh.io

7. Four Best Travel Apps Keep Business Budgets in Line on the Road

When you’re traveling for work, budgets can be hard to keep, with unexpected costs cropping up like surcharges and tips.

One way to save a penny or two is to turn off your data roaming. You’ll still be able to email and make calls, just less expensively.

Turn off push notifications and switch your email to manual. Try to only use secure wifi (yours if you brought it, see last week’s tip!).

Not only should you save money, you should try to maximize every dollar spent. Use a corporate credit card with good benefits or take advantage of upgrades and lounge access for being a repeat traveler with the same provider.

There are apps available that also help keep those tabs lower.

Boingo

If you’re not willing to splurge on your own wifi, then Boingo is a great alternative, with over a million hotspots in airports and hotels. Negate any international data roaming fees, ensure connectivity and do it at a price that’s pretty darn inexpensive.

Link: boingo.com

Skype

Well known but ever useful is Skype and not just for it’s well known video conferencing abilities. Put Skype to instead of your phone when it comes to texting. Its mobile app lets you make low cost international calls that would have a cell phone bill skyrocketing.

Attached to your hotel wifi’s and then you can make free calls to other Skype customers.

Link: skype.com

Onavo

If you’re unsure just how much data you’re using, Onavo is ideal as it tracks your usage constantly, working in the background.

Applicable at home and on the road, it helps you find ways to save and get the most from your phone.

Xpenditure

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with receipts on the road, from dinners and taxis, to hotels and business costs. Keeping track of all these receipts for reimbursement is a necessary evil that Xpenditure makes easy.

By taking photos of the receipts, this app automatically imports all the important data, catalogs and files them so you can file your expenses quickly an easily.

Plus, it works with multiple currencies as well as numerous accounting software’s, making application and integration seamless.

Link: xpenditure.com

8. Feel Right at Home in a New City with Four Amazing Travel Apps for Business

There are always a few unexpected hiccups when you’re working away from the office.

From needing a dry cleaner for the suit you spilled coffee on, to reprinting the meeting itinerary due to a typo, sometimes we need access to a few services the city offers.

Use your time wisely and get the most out of each excursion in your new surroundings. Depending on your interests, these apps will help you discover the best of your destination.

Plus, all work and no play is, well, boring. If you’re in a new locale, there’s no harm in a little exploring.

MyCityWay

MyCityWay, in 110 cities around the globe gives you the necessary basics on each spot, like weather, traffic, news, and even parking.

No, it’s not sexy, but it is useful. Along those lines is AroundMe, an app that finds businesses and services in your vicinity, like printers, coffee shops, banks, hospitals and more.

Link: mycityway.com

Urbandaddy

One of the best ways to appreciate a new culture is through its food and UrbanDaddy is the app to help you start you on your food journey.

Good for 10 destinations, this app offers specialized recommendations based upon your criteria, be it ‘Girl’s Night Out’ or ‘Fancy Client Dinner’. It’s tailored, specific and pretty cool.

Link: urbandaddy.com

FieldTripper

If you’ve found some free time and you’re out exploring, Field Trip is an app that makes your surroundings more significant.

Providing history, facts and even current articles around what’s nearby from reputable travel sources like Zagat, you can learn about restaurants, historic treasure troves or oddball gems that pop up once you’re in the vicinity.